Man and Woman
by Kurissyma san Tybalt
Summary: Standing before him, leaning wholly on her left leg as she balanced a large pile of books on her hip, was his only female subordinate, the sharpshooter and First Lieutenant, Elizabeth Hawkeye. Royai Oneshot P


The woman who stood before him was beautiful in every sense of the word but one. She was slim and blonde with a gorgeous figure and there was something about the way she stood that drew him in. Standing before him, leaning wholly on her left leg as she balanced a large pile of books on her hip, was his only female subordinate, the sharpshooter and First Lieutenant, Elizabeth Hawkeye.

The only thing wrong with the picture, of course, was the gun held steadily at his temple.

"You are not paying attention, Taisa," she said sternly.

Colonel Mustang waved her gun away bored, "but it's so dull, Hawkeye-Chuui."

"Which is exactly why you should get your dull paperwork over with and start on these duller reports," said Riza, dumping the pile onto her his desk gracelessly.

"More?" he complained.

"If you finish in the next two hours I'll let you walk me home," Riza told him, smiling inwardly while keeping a look of perfect calm on her pale face, and she left.

Roy grinned to himself. It was a game they played- a sort of merry war between them. There were laws forbidding the fraternization of two military officials, but sometimes- just sometimes- they let themselves test those laws.

As it happened, Roy was nowhere near finished two hours later, but instead of complaining as the rest of the military filed out of the building, she pulled up a chair and sat down beside him, not even looking up as one of his hands came to rest on her thigh absently- used to it by now.

"Thank you for waiting. Riza-san."

"Somebody has to," she said tonelessly, putting her soft white hand over his slightly darker one.

Roy finished almost an hour later and Riza brushed his hand away, blushing inwardly, "give me a moment," she said, picking up a small black bag from under her desk and slinging it over her shoulder, "I won't be long."

Roy gathered the last of his affairs in order and waited patiently for her return, almost falling off the chair he was rocking on as she walked back in wearing a deep red halter top and black mid-length skirt. She glared at him and let down her long blonde hair, flipping it over her shoulder irritably, "problem, Taisa?"

"No, no problem at all," said Roy, standing up abruptly and managing to somehow knock over the half-full coffee mug on his desk. Groaning loudly, he shoved a hand in his pocket, scrambling for a handkerchief.

"Klutz," she said, chuckling in a rare moment of mischief.

"You did that, didn't you?!" he accused her, looking up, eyes wide.

Riza walked over and touched the etching of a transmutation circle at the side of her creamy white neck before sweeping a hand over the messy table and returning it to order. "Let me play with the little knowledge of alchemy I have, Taisa," she said, smiling a little.

"Knocking over cups?"

"And cleaning the spill," Riza reminded him, nodding as her smile grew into a cheeky grin.

"You're not trying to dissuade me from wanting to walk you home are you, Riza-san?"

Riza gave him an odd look as he spoke her given name, but shook her head, "not at all, Taisa. I just enjoy watching you helpless for once."

"I am the Flame Alchemist- it wouldn't take a lot for me to learn your petty pranks."

"Perhaps, Taisa," Riza agreed, "but that would be cruel."

Roy grinned too and patted the table, checking that it really was dry before bringing an arm around her waist and leading her out onto the street, "so what have you got planned for tomorrow, then, Riza-san?"

"Work, Taisa?"

"You have a day off," Roy reminded her.

"I don't need-"

"You haven't had a day off in six months- you deserve one."

"That's not true, Taisa," said Riza, cocked her head to one side, "you made me go home once at only two o clock and refused to let me come back for three days!"

"You were ill, Riza-san."

"I was _fine_."

"You spent most of the day in the bathroom anyway."

"A minor detail! As it stands, I am now perfectly healthy-"

"Riza-san, that is an order."

"If you won't address me as your Chuui, I will not address you as my Taisa, and I owe no deference to Roy-kun, the man."

"Don't you?" asked Roy, raising an eyebrow. "No respect for me whatsoever?"

Riza chuckled a little, "maybe a little- but not enough to trust you by yourself for a whole day. Nothing would get done!"

"Then I might as well take the day off too," said Roy grinning. "Spend it with me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Tomorrow- come and get lunch with me or something."

"I don't think that's allowed…"

"Well, I'm not asking you as my Chuui, am I? I'm asking Riza-san, the woman."

Riza pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear and, realising that she had pretty much walked herself into that one, shrugged, "sure, then," she said. "Why not."

They walked in companionable silence for the rest of the way, until they reached Riza's home.

Smiling a little, she dipped a hand inside her black shoulder bag and drew out her keys, sliding them into the lock slowly.

"Riza-san?" said Roy uncertainly and Riza let her hand fall, the keys lingering in the lock. Her eyes were soft and movements languid- she couldn't help but wonder from his look just how it would feel to actually be with him- to feel his skin against hers- a distant dream that seemed so close and yet so far…

"Yes, Taisa?" Riza turned to face him slowly, face mere inches from his.

…But Roy seemed to have lost his thought, "nothing," he said, almost sadly, "…just… see you tomorrow."

"Okay," said Riza, dipping her head slightly, "tomorrow, then."

His hand found hers and squeezed it gently, tenderly. Then he pulled her close and kissed her cheek, disappearing down the road before she had a chance to protest.

"Roy…kun…?" she murmured, staring after him blankly… then she smiled. "Yeah," she said to herself thoughtfully, "…tomorrow."


End file.
